Minnesota Wild Reader Top 20 Prospects: Friendly Fifteen

We are pushing our way through, moving toward our ultimate prize. A full top 20 list is the goal, and today, we move on to 15. Most of the top prospects are gone, with some surprising names still left on the board. The final six spots have yet to be filled, but the choices are going to get more and more difficult as we progress. Who makes the list, and who gets left behind?

Once again, we leave that up to you.

Our list thus far:

As always, bios and stats... after the jump.

We are using using Dan's definition of prospect from last year:

Still in the Game:

Lucia was the sweet, hometown story from the draft. The Wild trade up to get a second round pick, then draft not only a Minnesotan, but the son of the coach of the University of Minnesota's hockey program. It's so so sweet it could be made by Hersheys, and so corny that Cargill wants a cut. Still, Lucia wasn't picked because he is a hometown boy. He was picked because he was a great value at the 60th pick, and the Wild saw that value. Second round picks are a favorite of Chuck Fletcher, and the Wild have had some success in the second round in the past. Where will Mario end up in the franchise? Who knows. He has a long time to develop, so it may take awhile to know. He has to be considered in the top twenty, being a second round pick, but don't expect to see him in green anytime soon.

Erik Haula

Who in their right mind considers a seventh round pick to be a potential top 20 prospect? Well, when he shows the promise that Haula does, we do. He was playing on the top line for the Golden Gophers last year after having strong success in Omaha in the USHL (thank you to @Big_Weiss for clarification here). Haula may still be a long shot, but the odds are starting to look better and better that he has a real shot at some NHL time. Still a ton of work to do, but the kid has the work ethic to do it.

Yet another Minnesota native, and yet another college free agent signing. Palmer put up 28 points in his first pro season, to go with 64 PIMs. He is a physical player with a nose for the net, and someone who could be an exciting prospect if his development curve continues. He has a log jam in front of him, so if he wants to crack the big squad, he will have to differentiate himself, but that isn't impossible. He has the attitude, and the ethic to do it. Despite the stats above, he is a forward... not a d-man. He is also from Fridley, not Fredley.

Ready to start his first pro season with the Aeros, Bulmer was a high second round pick for the Wild in last year's draft. In other words, he was selected ahead of Jason Zucker, your third highest rated prospect. His numbers are consistent at around the 45 point mark, with a boat load of PIMs to go with those points. The stats above have him at 6' 1", 165. The Wild have him at 6' 3", 185. I like the second numbers much better. How he does this season with the Aeros will tell us quite a bit about what he will look like as a pro.

The Aeros enforcer has proven himself a mighty opponent in the AHL. He may have a tough time cracking the roster unless things go in a route in which the Wild are being beaten up night after night, or until Kassian improves his all around game a bit more. His toughness and grit are second to none, but with the style of team Chuck Fletcher looks to be building, Kassian doesn't look to crack the NHL any time soon. Which is too bad, because he really is a good hockey player, and great guy.